


This time, stay by my side

by Asaliz



Series: Requests [4]
Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Azran Legacy Spoilers, F/M, Layton Mystery Detective Agency Spoilers, Unwound Future Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26164879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asaliz/pseuds/Asaliz
Summary: The Professor receives a visit after one of his lectures.
Relationships: Emmy Altava/Hershel Layton
Series: Requests [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1408393
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	This time, stay by my side

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This was the first or second of four ship request I wrote on Wattpad more than a year ago, but since it was the only one still untranslated... here is it!

It has been an interesting lecture, for me and for my students. Or at least that was my impression, since I’m passionate about the subject I teach, and I’m happy any time one of my classes wakes so much interest. The class was already over, but a few students were still there asking a few questions about their homework.

_Goodness, it’s late_. I thought when I saw the time, _Flora isn’t going to be happy_. I felt a little guilty, but it was difficult to leave old habits.

She sometimes accompanies me to the university, and today it was one of those days. She would be waiting in my office. Since Luke left, she started to come often.

_I suspect she promised him she would keep it tidy when he left._

I hurried through the stairs, and when I opened the door, I smelled the pleasant fragrance of tea. I saw Flora happily chatting with someone I couldn’t see, since their back was pointing the door.

_A guest?_

“Professor! You took your time!” she scolded me, but still, she seemed very excited. The apple mark was visible on her neck. “We had visits!”

“It has been some time, professor.”

I froze just a moment.

“Emmy! What a surprise!”

I was going to offer my hand, but Emmy hugged me just like the day she left. While I hesitated a little, I returned the hug.

“I’m going to make more tea.” Flora left to do as announced.

“Please take a seat.” I offered while leaving my hat on the hanger.

When she took a seat, she was looking me surprised. While I sat, I didn’t finish to separate my lips to ask her what happened

“I never saw you leaving your hat!”

_Of course. I forgot._

“It’s a long story.”

“You can tell me some other time.”

I took a few moments to observe her. She hasn’t changed that much. The last time she sent me a picture she had short hair. But it seems she let it grow again, her brunette hair was as long as I remembered it. Her skin was a little bit tanned, result of her trips. She was wearing yellow, color that suited her, and almost made the illusion of her never leaving.

“What wrought you here to London?”

She smiled to me.

“I was just feeling nostalgic. When I left, I realized I left behind all the people I loved.”

“why didn’t you told me you were coming?”

“I decided it kind of suddenly…” She answered vaguely.

_A gentleman shouldn’t pry_. If she didn’t want to talk about it, I should respect it.

“I’m glad to see you are fine.”

“I’m glad to see you are fine. And Luke, even if he’s not here. I read on the newspapers about the attack here in London. And how it was stopped by Professor Layton and his assistant.”

“I bet you would have stopped everyone in future London faster!” Flora was back with the tea. She blushed a little when we saw her, then she added: “Luke told me a lot about you. He said there was nothing you couldn’t knock down.”

So that’s why she was so excited. Despite not knowing Emmy, Luke has told her our adventures.

“Sure. I can show you later! But I wasn’t able to break that wall on Froenborg…”

“But don’t show her in my office.” I joked.

“I would never destroy your office.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” But I was ashamed to be a little doubtful about it.

After finishing her cup Flora spoke:

“I’m going home with Rosa, to help her make dinner.” She stood up, straightening her dress, “Emmy, will you come for dinner?”

“Not today, I’m afraid.” Flora seemed very disappointed, then Emmy added “Maybe another day. I just arrived today, and I still need to organize things on the hotel.”

That cheered her up, she said goodbye after adding “I would like you to try one of my dishes. Luke said yours was delicious, and I have been practicing a lot. With Rosa’s help I have improved a lot.” She covered her neck with a scarf.

“So, Flora, eh? An interesting girl. I bet she helps you like Luke with your cases.”

I felt a little guilty.

“In fact, I don’t take her with me in my cases.” She looked at me with surprise.

“She told me she was on the fake London.”

“Yes. She followed us. I wanted her to stay.” Her surprise was still noticeable. I decided to explain a little more “I met her almost immediately after we stopped Targent. I was asked to solve an inheritance dispute… but in the end, it turned out her father created a series of mysteries to test her guardian.”

“Her father left fate to randomly pick a guardian for her?”

“Not exactly… did you noticed the mark on her neck?”

“Yes… It appears when she smiles, right?”

I smiled. No doubt she was also great at investigations, it didn’t take her long to notice.

“Exactly. Her guardian was supposed to be someone who would make her smile.”

“Still, that doesn’t explain why she doesn’t go with you.”

“When Luke started to come along, we were two adults with one kid. When you left, Luke still came with me, I already knew him and he is mature for his age. But I know Flora less than I know you. The situation took me by surprise.”

“I see.” There was a pause. She clearly decided she wouldn’t insist, instead she changed the subject and asked again “And what about your hat?”

I meditated for a moment. “Do you have time?”

I told her about Claire. And how I lost her twice.

It was getting late. I needed to leave if I wanted to be in time for dinner.

Emmy hurried to leave. But I sensed something bothered her.

“Are you going to leave again?”

“I…still feel like a traitor. That’s why I left. I loved you all, and knew I was betraying you. Luke, his parents, Grosky…you all treated me so kindly, and yet I obeyed Broned.”

“But you left Luke go. Even without you, Bronev would have continued. And you knew. Descole knew, even he, who hated him, gave him the key so he could continue.”

“If I haven’t betrayed you, perhaps… perhaps she…”

I knew what she was going to said, and even if it was against my habit, I considered I wouldn’t follow the norms for being a gentleman: I interrupted her so she couldn’t finish the sentence.

_I can’t let the guilt to hurt her. I know how it feels._ I blamed myself for Randall. For Claire. I couldn’t allow her to carry that burden.

“None of us could save Aurora. She was connected to the ruins, and if these turned off, she would also disappear, along the other golems. But if the fortress wasn’t stopped, the rest of the world would die. And she wouldn’t have been happy, she would had lost us.”

She looked me in the eye, smiling. But there were some tears on her eyes.

“Thank you, Professor. You have always been so kind to me.

That’s why I fell in love with you.

But I knew I was a traitor, that I didn’t deserve you.”

I was stunned. I blushed slightly.

I wasn’t expecting a confession in that precise instant. And was surprised to find I was glad when I heard it. My heart was beating faster.

But I was also glad she hasn’t told me before. My memories and my sorrow for Claire would have overshadowed everything, and it wouldn’t have been fair for her.

Just then I was getting over her lost. And I didn’t want to be alone just to live with a memory.

It was the right moment for things to work.

“You still don’t remember the day we met?” Her question brought me back to the present, but leaded me to other memories.

I tried to remember. But I could just see the day she crossed my pat with her bike, and introduced herself as my assistant. When we traveled to solve our first case together, thanks to the letter Luke sent pretending to be Clark.

“I remember when we were traveling to Misthallery, you asked me if I remembered meeting you before. But no, I don’t remember. I’m sorry.”

“You were leaving the police station. Someone framed me of stealing… if you haven’t interceded talking with Grosky, I would had been locked. It’s curious, after that the inspector and I became friends.”

I have started helping the police around that time, after seeing I won’t be able to find the truth behind Claire’s death, I started to help others.

“Are you leaving again?” We can start to know each other again. This time without secrets, without burdens, without faults. “Don’t you want to stay?”

“…Yes, yes, I want to, but, what would I do here?”

“When you left, I told you you were a great assistant.”

“Do you want me as your assistant again?” She was surprised by the proposal.

“Since Luke is not around anymore. And Flora would love your company, I think it would be good for her. I would love us to spent more time together. We can take it slowly and see what happens.”

She smiled and wiped some tears.

“Taking things slowly, just like a good gentleman.”

She stood up for leaving “I would love to work with you again. To start from the beginning. And see what happens between us.”

I have left many things unsaid during my life. I decided this time I wouldn’t

“I love you too.”

She seemed surprised.

“But I still want to take it slowly.” I added blushing.

“We have time. Today go back home. I will come back tomorrow and we will set things up, okay?”

Flora was a little angry when I arrived home late, but she was really glad to hear Emmy would be my assistant again.

°°°

We were worried, and then very relieved when Luke called by phone to said he arrived safely. But he appeared with an unexpected guest. So we have a discussion about it before he reached my office.

“You can’t take care of her, Luke, you are still a student.”

“Then what would happen with her?”

“I will raise her as my daughter.”

Luke tried not to laugh… ”You, Professor?”

His laughter hurt my pride a little.

“Don’t worry Luke, I will be here too.”

“Mrs. Layton.” He was still smiling.

“Luke, don’t call me like that! Call me Emmy like always!”

“Sorry. I trust you will keep her safe.”

“Trust the Professor too.” And she kissed my cheek, surprising me. I blushed slightly, but it was nothing compared with Luke’s red face.

“Oh please! I have enough with my parents being affectionate in public.”

In the end things happened faster than we thought. We had married recently, and now we had a baby girl under our care. I was glad to have someone at my side to do it, she had been a great influence for Flora.

Emmy rested her head on my shoulder while we observed the girl that would be our daughter. I think she was as excited and nervous as I was. It would be a new challenge to face together. I had already arranged everything for her adoption.

“Welcome to your new home, Katrielle.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it!


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